Nine Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX players have been called up to Canada for this month’s CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship, which serves as the qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 held later in the year.
The nine ‘Caps on Canada’s roster are: Teni Akindoju, Maya Antoine, Tanya Boychuk, Ashley Cathro, Julia Grosso, Jordyn Huitema, Emma Regan, Jayde Riviere, and Caitlin Shaw.
The tournament, running from January 17 to January 28, will see Canada play Costa Rica, Haiti and hosts Trinidad & Tobago in Group A.
“Our main objective will be to qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup to ensure this group will again experience major tournaments, but we have also set some goals in terms of how we want to play and how we want to represent Canada as a team,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer Women’s U-20 Head Coach and Women’s National EXCEL Director U15-U23. “Some of these players have had the opportunity to play with Canada Soccer's Women's National Team so they've experienced the unique culture that has been created within the Women's National Team. Our hope is they will bring some of that experience back to this group, not only on the field tactically but also off it.”
Canada’s roster includes seven players who have made Canada Soccer Women’s National Team appearances, but critically it includes many players who have come up through Canada Soccer’s EXCEL system and some who have relocated to Regional EXCEL Centres where they play day-in and day-out with their national teammates.
“A large percentage of this group have significant tournament experiences across the U15, U17 and U20 levels, which no doubt will be crucial to the success of the team, but also their individual journey towards the Women’s National Team” said Priestman. “There are also quite a few players that have relocated into our Regional EXCEL Super Centres and that environment where the best play with the best everyday has helped push these players forward. This competitive daily training environment and the support of the provinces where they originate has pushed them on and has certainly aided their development, and hopefully will be a contributing result to these players doing well here at the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship.”
CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship Trinidad & Tobago 2018 – Canada’s Match Schedule (all times local to Trinidad and Tobago in AST).
- Group Stage
- Thursday, January 18, 2018, 16:00 Costa Rica v Canada
- Saturday, January 20, 2018,18:30 Canada v Trinidad & Tobago
- Monday, January 22, 2018, 16:00 Haiti v Canada
- Friday, January 26, 2018 – Semifinals
- 16:00 1B v 2A
- 18:30 1A v 2B
- 16:00 L13 v L14
- 18:30 W13 v W14
- Sunday, January 28, 2018 – 3rd Place Match and Final
Canada Soccer Roster: CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship Trinidad & Tobago 2018 (Alphabetical with Year of Birth, Club and Hometown)
- Teni Akindoju, 2001, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX / Soccer Nova Scotia REX Program / Dunbrack Soccer Club, Halifax, NS
- Maya Antoine, 2001, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX / Vaughan Soccer Club (League1 Ontario), Vaughan, ON
- Tanya Boychuk, 2000, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer Rex, Burnaby, BC / FC Edmonton Girls REX, Edmonton, AB
- Gabrielle Carle, 1998, Florida State University (NCAA), Lévis, QC
- Ashley Cathro, 2000, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX, Victoria, BC
- Malikae Dayes, 1999, University of Maryland, Brampton, ON
- Jessica De Filippo, 2001, Quebec REX / Lakeshore SC, Saint-Lazare, QC
- Shana Flynn, 2000, Unionville-Milliken SC (League1 Ontario), Brampton, ON
- Rylee Foster, 1998, West Virginia University (NCAA), Cambridge, ON (GK)
- Julia Grosso, 2000, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX, Vancouver, BC
- Jordyn Huitema, 2001, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX, Chilliwack, BC
- Nadège L’Espérance, 1999, University of Louisville (NCAA), Candiac, QC
- Jessica Lisi, 1998, University of Memphis (NCAA), Woodbridge, ON
- Lysianne Proulx, 1999, Syracuse University (NCAA), Boucherville, QC (GK)
- Emma Regan, 2000, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX, Burnaby, BC
- Jayde Riviere, 2001, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX / Markham Soccer Club, Pickering, ON
- Caitlin Shaw, 2001, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX, Coquitlam, BC
- Sarah Stratigakis, 1999, University of Michigan (NCAA), Woodbridge, ON
- Hannah Taylor, 1999, University of Oregon (NCAA), Edmonds, WA
- Ariel Young, 2001, Ottawa Fury, Ottawa, ON
